A few days later, Qin Lulu was married off, and Qin Shuying returned to the Qin mansion once to see off the bride.

Liang Zhe left early and returned late each day, keeping very busy. Qin Shuying would occasionally disguise herself as a young gentleman and accompany him out.

Luo Meixiang spent her days playing hide-and-seek with those several beauties, suffering attacks of angina every few days.

Although Liang Yunshan wasn’t particularly lustful, when good things were delivered right to his mouth, how could he not partake? Having lived long in the border city, unrestrained by the capital’s rules, which military general of rank didn’t have a table full of women around him?

Especially since Western Bao’s customs were even more liberal – it was common for men and women to pledge themselves to each other privately, with no talk of parental arrangements or matchmaker’s words.

So when young men and women of Western Bao were fond of each other, they would be together, and when they no longer wished to continue, they would part. The next time they fell in love with someone else, they could be with another man or woman.

The border city’s customs were also much more open, without so many constraints as the capital. After decades of exposure to such influence, Liang Yunshan’s reverence and love for Luo Meixiang was genuine, his fear of his wife was genuine, but his welcoming attitude toward beautiful women was also genuine.

Moreover, Liang Yunshan had one wife and three concubines, which was already rare among the capital’s nobles. Besides Concubine Yue, there were two other old concubines whose beauty had faded with age – after Liang Yunshan returned, he hadn’t even seen their faces, nor did he plan to see them in the future.

Furthermore, if Princess Qin’an entered the mansion, it would be even harder for him to sleep with these women.

The four women who had been sent were each more alluring than the last, each more beautiful than the next. Liang Yunshan quickly slept with them all.

All four women were carefully selected, each with extraordinary skills, no inferior to slender horses. Liang Yunshan slept very contentedly.

While he was content, Luo Meixiang was anything but content.

But who told her to be a magnanimous and tolerant wife? So even if she felt terrible, she had to force a smile and make proper arrangements for Liang Yunshan.

Twice, she feigned illness and had people call for Liang Yunshan.

Unfortunately, Liang Yunshan possessed excellent martial skills – slaying enemies was no problem for him, and taking down a woman was also no problem. With swift movements like a blade, the deed was already underway.

Just as Luo Meixiang received word and had Kuji rush to the beauties’ territory, she ran into the courtyard only to see the serving maids and matrons looking at her with strange expressions, yet none of them spoke.

Kuji put on the airs of the madam’s chief maid, but those people maintained their strange expressions. No matter how ugly Kuji’s face became, no one would go knock on the beauty’s bedroom door.

Kuji was so angry she lifted her skirts and walked into the courtyard herself. Just as she reached outside the beauty’s bedroom, she heard sounds – the Pingxi Marquis was enthusiastically slaying enemies!

Kuji’s face turned deathly pale as she retreated, fleeing as if chased by ghosts.

With his excellent martial skills and a heart full of suppressed frustration, Liang Yunshan literally made Luo Meixiang’s angina attacks come one after another.

Luo Meixiang wept and wailed before Old Madam Liang, whose face darkened as she scolded Luo Meixiang: “All men are the same worthless creatures – what are you crying about! Anyway, these women can’t bear children. He’s just seeking temporary novelty. The marquis mansion is still in your hands – what are you afraid of!”

Hearing Old Madam Liang’s scolding, Luo Meixiang cried even more freely.

It was true that the marquis mansion was in her hands, but how could Liang Yunshan treat her this way?

“Aunt, please persuade the Marquis. How would it look if word of this gets out?”

Old Madam Liang sneered coldly: “I think you’ve lost your mind. These were sent by others – if he doesn’t use them, should he just keep them for decoration? Now instead of thinking about what to do after Princess Qin’an enters the mansion, you’re worrying about these trivial matters. I see you’ve been too comfortable these years and have long lost your sense of crisis. If this continues, once Princess Qin’an enters the mansion, sooner or later she’ll have you completely under her thumb.”

Luo Meixiang was somewhat dismissive and also somewhat angry that Old Madam Liang was siding with Liang Yunshan.

Even if she was her niece, Liang Yunshan was her son after all. She would naturally consider Liang Yunshan more, so how could she care about her grievances?

“Aunt, it’s been so many days without any news about Princess Qin’an’s matter. Could it be that it’s already fallen through?”

Old Madam Liang continued to sneer coldly: “Since Emperor Delong has spoken, there’s nothing he can’t accomplish. You’re really thinking too simply of him!”

Luo Meixiang instinctively felt that Old Madam Liang harbored resentment toward Emperor Delong, but she didn’t dare ask.

Seeing that Luo Meixiang was still dismissive, Old Madam Liang frowned tightly and slammed the table: “Didn’t you understand what I said?”

Luo Meixiang jumped in fright and quickly said: “Aunt, I’ve taken it all to heart. Rest assured, I will definitely plan carefully.”

Old Madam Liang glanced at her irritably, seeing right through her perfunctory attitude, and said coldly: “Don’t just talk without acting, don’t treat my words as mere wind in your ears. If there’s nothing else, go out and call Nanny Luo in.”

Luo Meixiang hadn’t seen Old Madam Liang lose her temper like this in a long time. She hurriedly retreated. Even at the doorway, she still felt lingering fear – the old madam’s gaze was truly vicious enough to devour people.

Old Madam Liang’s face was dark. When Nanny Luo entered, she raised her hand and swept an entire set of celadon tea implements from the table to the floor. The crisp “crash” immediately startled all the birds in the tree outside the room into flight.

Nanny Luo looked at the tea set worth several hundred taels of silver on the floor and silently swallowed.

“The spawn of a lowly woman is lowly indeed!”

Nanny Luo knew who she was cursing and quickly said: “Old Madam, should this old servant spread some news…”

Old Madam Liang’s gaze immediately swept over viciously. She grabbed whatever was at hand and threw it at Nanny Luo, roaring: “She’s stupid – are you stupid too? What time is it now? If Liang Yunshan’s reputation turns bad, what will Emperor Delong think? Isn’t this clearly saying the marquis mansion refuses to let Princess Qin’an enter?”

The object didn’t hit Nanny Luo, but she was so frightened she quickly knelt on the ground: “This old servant is stupid to death, stupid to death! Old Madam, please calm your anger – don’t lower yourself to the level of an ignorant stupid servant like this old one.”

Old Madam Liang’s gaze could practically kill!

Nanny Luo had only seen this kind of look when Old Madam Liang schemed against Liang Zhen and Liang Zhe, only when Old Madam Liang detested Zhao Wanniang years ago.

Nanny Luo was frightened, but she actually had the presence of mind to think about something else: So what if Emperor Delong got angry? Although the Son of Heaven’s wrath was terrifying, the old madam was just a woman – surely she needn’t be this angry…

Old Madam Liang cursed angrily for a while, with “lowly spawn” and “lowly woman” flowing freely from her lips.

After finishing her cursing, she coldly swept a glance at Nanny Luo, who didn’t dare raise her head: “Get out!”

Nanny Luo felt as if granted amnesty and hurriedly retreated.

The next day, Old Madam Liang canceled the daily morning greetings and began reciting Buddhist scriptures.

The second day after Old Madam Liang began reciting Buddhist scriptures, the selection of consorts for the four princes that had captured the attention of all Great Zhou citizens officially began, with the selected maidens moving into Jiuyuan Palace.